We Salute Three Remarkable Firsts

"It is always with a sense of pride that we follow the progress of Illovo people, no more so than when our women employees show how their talents, training and efforts are rewarded."

It is always with a sense of pride that we follow the progress of Illovo people, no more so than when our women employees show how their talents, training and efforts are rewarded. Three whose recent appointments deserve notice are Velile Bhembe from Ubombo, Nsofwa Bantubonse of Nakambala and Elaine Moodley of Merebank. Velile is the first female electrical engineer and Nsofwa is the first female instrument engineer to have graduated from the group’s EIT programme, while Elaine is Illovo South Africa’s first female factory manager.

VELILE BHEMBE, a former electrical EIT at Ubombo Sugar, has now been appointed electrical engineer at the Swaziland mill. She has also been selected for the AB Sugar International Experience Programme, which will give her the opportunity to spend six months at our sister company Azucarera in Spain.

IMAGE (Above): VELILE BHEMBE

NSOFWA BANTUBONSE, like Velile a recent graduate of Illovo’s EIT (engineer-in-training) programme, is an instrument engineer at Nakambala and has now been appointed planning engineer at the Zambian mill. Indiran Govender of SMRI’s Industry Support - Training says of her: “Nsofwa has astounded me with her excellent performance throughout the course, being Instrumentation in discipline, and I cannot remember a time when someone with this discipline has done so well!”

IMAGE (Above): NSOFWA BANTUBONSE

ELAINE MOODLEY, appointed Lacsa Manager at Merebank, is the first female factory manager within Illovo Sugar (SA) Ltd. Elaine has had a long and fruitful career with Illovo – having started as an in-service trainee at Sezela (sugar factory and Downstream department) in 1989, then occupying various positions at Merebank until she was appointed into the QA (Quality Assurance) manager position at Lacsa nine years ago.

Despite challenging life situations with her losing her husband in 2011, she managed to successfully complete the ELDP (Emerging Leaders Development Programme) and is currently raising her two children, Cohan (12) and Tamryn (7).

Elaine puts her success down to her Christian faith, the opportunities provided by Illovo and the constant support of her many mentors. She has expressed her gratitude and is thankful for the great opportunities that Illovo Sugar has afforded her and looks forward to a bigger, better and brighter future. We wish these three standout women every success as they shoulder their new duties.

IMAGE (Above): ELAINE MOODLEY, Cohan and Tamryn

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